Lake Meyer IA 01-TRK-158

Assessment Comments

Monitored in 1992 by ISU for Clean Lakes Classification study (1994).

Basis for Assessment

Both fishable and swimmable uses were assessed as PS for the 1992 report; fish uses were assessed as PS and swim uses not assessed for following reasons:  (1) results of monitoring show that average levels of secchi depth, total-P, and TSS are equal to, or better than, overall averages for the 86 SPO impoundments sampled in 1990 and 1992; the average level of chl-a is worse than the overall average but is within 1 SD; (2) although lake is designated for swimmable uses, the lake does not have a swimming beach and Bachmann et al.  report swimming use as zero; (3) fishing use is relatively high for a small (37.1 acre) impoundment and this lake was noted for CCAT, crappie, and LMB fishing in the 1994 DNR fishing forecast in the Iowa Conservationist; (4) lake has a moderately high sedimentation rate (3.9 cm/yr) but a relatively long life expectancy (91 years) for a small impoundment.  Primary impairment is organic enrichment leading to summerkills in 1 of 7 yrs.